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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3614
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3614
11 Dec 2024
 | 11 Dec 2024

Impact of clouds on vegetation albedo quantified by coupling an atmosphere and a vegetation radiative transfer model

Kevin Wolf, Evelyn Jäkel, André Ehrlich, Michael Schäfer, Hannes Feilhauer, Andreas Huth, Alexandra Weigelt, and Manfred Wendisch

Abstract. This paper investigates the influence of clouds on vegetation albedo. For this purpose, we use coupled atmosphere-vegetation radiative transfer (RT) simulations combining the library for Radiative transfer (libRadtran) and the vegetation Soil Canopy Observation of Photosynthesis and Energy fluxes (SCOPE2.0) model. Both models are iteratively linked to more realistically simulate cloud–vegetation-radiation interactions above three types of canopies represented by the spherical, erectophile, and planophile leaf angle distributions. The coupled models are applied to simulate solar, spectral and broadband irradiances under cloud-free and cloudy conditions, with the focus on the visible to near-infrared wavelength range from 0.4 to 2.4 µm wavelengths. The simulated irradiances are used to investigate the spectral and broadband effect of clouds on the vegetation albedo. It is found that changes in solar zenith angle and cloud optical thickness are equally important for variations in the vegetation albedo. For solar zenith angles less than 50° –60°, the vegetation albedo is increased by clouds by up to 0.1. The greatest increase in albedo was observed during the transition from cloud-free to cloud conditions with a cloud optical thickness (τ ) of about 6. For larger values of τ the vegetation albedo saturates and increases only slightly. The increase of the vegetation albedo is a result of three effects: (i) dependence of the canopy reflectivity on the direct and diffuse fraction of downward irradiance, (ii) the shift in the spectral weighting of downward irradiance due to scattering and absorption by clouds, and (iii) multiple scattering between the top of canopy and the cloud base. The observed change in vegetation albedo due to cloudiness is parameterized by a polynomial function, representing a potential method to include cloud–vegetation-radiation interactions in numerical weather prediction and global climate models.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

24 Jun 2025
Impact of stratiform liquid water clouds on vegetation albedo quantified by coupling an atmosphere and a vegetation radiative transfer model
Kevin Wolf, Evelyn Jäkel, André Ehrlich, Michael Schäfer, Hannes Feilhauer, Andreas Huth, Alexandra Weigelt, and Manfred Wendisch
Biogeosciences, 22, 2909–2933, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2909-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2909-2025, 2025
Short summary
Kevin Wolf, Evelyn Jäkel, André Ehrlich, Michael Schäfer, Hannes Feilhauer, Andreas Huth, Alexandra Weigelt, and Manfred Wendisch

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3614', Anonymous Referee #1, 04 Mar 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Kevin Wolf, 05 Apr 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3614', Anonymous Referee #2, 05 Mar 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Kevin Wolf, 05 Apr 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3614', Anonymous Referee #1, 04 Mar 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Kevin Wolf, 05 Apr 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-3614', Anonymous Referee #2, 05 Mar 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Kevin Wolf, 05 Apr 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (07 Apr 2025) by Andreas Ibrom
AR by Kevin Wolf on behalf of the Authors (07 Apr 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (07 Apr 2025) by Andreas Ibrom
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (14 Apr 2025)
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (23 Apr 2025)
ED: Publish as is (23 Apr 2025) by Andreas Ibrom
AR by Kevin Wolf on behalf of the Authors (24 Apr 2025)  Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

24 Jun 2025
Impact of stratiform liquid water clouds on vegetation albedo quantified by coupling an atmosphere and a vegetation radiative transfer model
Kevin Wolf, Evelyn Jäkel, André Ehrlich, Michael Schäfer, Hannes Feilhauer, Andreas Huth, Alexandra Weigelt, and Manfred Wendisch
Biogeosciences, 22, 2909–2933, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2909-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2909-2025, 2025
Short summary
Kevin Wolf, Evelyn Jäkel, André Ehrlich, Michael Schäfer, Hannes Feilhauer, Andreas Huth, Alexandra Weigelt, and Manfred Wendisch
Kevin Wolf, Evelyn Jäkel, André Ehrlich, Michael Schäfer, Hannes Feilhauer, Andreas Huth, Alexandra Weigelt, and Manfred Wendisch

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Short summary
This paper investigates the influence of clouds on the vegetation albedo using a coupled atmosphere-vegetation radiative transfer model. Both models are iteratively linked to more realistically simulate cloud-vegetation-radiation interactions over canopies. Solar, spectral and broadband irradiances have been simulated under varying cloud conditions. The simulated irradiances were used to investigate the spectral and broadband effect of clouds on vegetation albedo.
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